After the initial shock and realization that I am a compulsive overeater, it transpired that in order to recover, I had to FIRST get honest with myself. This was -- and still is -- a painful process for me, yet it is an essential step towards my recovery and healthy lifestyle.

First I had to admit that I wasn't in control of my eating and exercise, that my life had become unmanageable, that recovery couldn't be achieved unaided.

As with most revelations, this was an uncomfortable truth to behold. I was also prompted through honesty to stop blaming everyone else for my unwillingness to help myself. I had to find conviction in my actions and not just emptiness in my words.

I conceded that I am not as perfect as I would like to be or think of myself as. I make mistakes and sometimes slip from the path of recovery, but with honesty comes acceptance that I am only human. This disease would deceive me into thinking that I am a failure when in fact it's my actions that have failed me. Like a magician who performs illusions for the crowd, this disease would have me think I have committed unforgivable sins. Honesty is the key to my recovery; it unlocks the chains that have imprisoned me for so long. It allows me to recognize my weaknesses and turn them into strengths. It turns simple existence into life ~ and inner-conflicts into outward serenity.

ONE DAY AT A TIME . . .

I will be honest with myself.

Failure- a stone on a path not the last one called success. Planless gaol=a wish Faithless dream=fleeting & amiss. Progress-little to do with speed-much to do with direction. Wiser to replace with better choices than to deny human nature-small smarter choice substitutions. Purposely choose your thoughts-what you believe-you achieve-Be careful what you think www.sparkpeople.com/myspark/groups_individual.asp?gid=237Starfleet BootCamp

This is written on my spark page. "It is only by first accepting responsibility that we can honestly face and recognize the reality of our circumstances in order to correct defective behaviors, and then make a better life towards wherever we would like to go."

I cant seem to find a way to express both the need for honesty as well as accepting responsibility... equally. For without one, the other continues to elude us, which ever order one takes first.

They DO indeed go hand in hand as far as in accepting the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.

here's to regaining personal power and the spiritual awakening that comes from living your life on purpose.

Failure- a stone on a path not the last one called success. Planless gaol=a wish Faithless dream=fleeting & amiss. Progress-little to do with speed-much to do with direction. Wiser to replace with better choices than to deny human nature-small smarter choice substitutions. Purposely choose your thoughts-what you believe-you achieve-Be careful what you think www.sparkpeople.com/myspark/groups_individual.asp?gid=237Starfleet BootCamp

I feel it is VERY important to be RADICALLY honest with yourself... in so doing, you reGAIN your personal POWER of CHOICE to make the choices needed to make the changes you desire... altho... I may be radically honest with myself... I have learned to use discretion when sharing with someone else... the communications thingy... years ago... while on my own personal QUEST to finding who I am... in so finding my own TRUTHS I have found that my truths are mine and to another they are just an opinion...

Brian Tracy describes positive self talk as not "lying", but telling the truth in advance.

"If you are not busy being born, you are busy dying." --Bob Dylan "Obstacles are those things we see when we take our eyes off our goals." "If we don't like where we are, change it! We are not trees." "Let me tell you the secret that has led me to my goal. My strength lies solely in my tenacity." -- Louis Pasteur, Chemist and Microbiologist

I too love meditations and affirmations. Chanting mantras during exercise is such a great thing for body and mind... as well as a way to better connect all three body, mind, and spirit.

Another helpful hint towards health and Wellness... is to monitor SELF TALK. We cant be expected to be all cheery and positive 100% of the time. In fact I really find the people who are- to be overcompensating and at best slightly annoying. :-) Sometimes the water simply evaporates with time and the glass IS half empty. LOL But one sure fire well tested way to fill that cup back up, is to actively correct whatever negativity you DO detect and are aware of. A small smarter choice is enough. You don't have to LIE or convince yourself of some far fetched truth. Simply to express the same facts but in a less depreciating way, taking responsibility and being honest instead of exaggerating or focusing on the negative. The more you bother to re-write or correct, the more empowered and HAPPY you will be in a self fueling upward cycle. TRY IT!! Contempt without investigation is disastrous and keeps one forever stagnant.

Failure- a stone on a path not the last one called success. Planless gaol=a wish Faithless dream=fleeting & amiss. Progress-little to do with speed-much to do with direction. Wiser to replace with better choices than to deny human nature-small smarter choice substitutions. Purposely choose your thoughts-what you believe-you achieve-Be careful what you think www.sparkpeople.com/myspark/groups_individual.asp?gid=237Starfleet BootCamp

I LOVE walking Meditations... listening to nature... kinda drifts you away... and then walla the time has flown by and you have put in a few thousand steps... and have become centered through breathing...

for me they are very relaxing and amazing that they can be considered exercising when it comes so natural

I used to walk but I injured my knee and my son suggested that i try the rowing machine. It is low impact and doesn't strain the knees, if done properly. I came to love the rowing machine. I started by distracting myself from the exercise by listening to CDs while I rowed. My CD player stopped working and then I discovered the joy of rowing and paying attention to my breathing, my stroke rate, my minutes per 500 meters and I have never desired to go back to being distracted. I sometime do a meditation with my breathing and that is great too. I have said the seven "I ams" from St. John, which I learned from reading Friedrich Rittelmeyer book Meditation. This is a wonderful way for me to connect with my breath and align myself with a higher power.

"If you are not busy being born, you are busy dying." --Bob Dylan "Obstacles are those things we see when we take our eyes off our goals." "If we don't like where we are, change it! We are not trees." "Let me tell you the secret that has led me to my goal. My strength lies solely in my tenacity." -- Louis Pasteur, Chemist and Microbiologist

Something else... I have never exercised like I have now... mostly jog jog walking... and I have an energy that I havent had in years... I feel so blessed to be able to Actually RUN with my grandkids...

Your strategy is great. Small permanent changes are better than grand leaps that are not sustainable. I, too, have made incremental changes in my lifestyle that have rewarded me with better health and a more positive outlook on life. I never knew what I was missing until I gradually made the changes that I knew could become permanent, but only when I was ready to make them and not before.

I encountered much resistance within along the way, but I kept making small compromises and educating myself so that the changes in the long run are large, but none was accomplished in a short time. I had to go through denial, anger, and then gradually acceptance, and then joy.

Joy is my occasional reward for making the journey. I'm still climbing, but the view gets better the higher I climb. If the journey gets too easy, I need to check my direction as I may be headed in the wrong direction. If I have to pause to catch my breath, then I know that I'm still climbing.

"If you are not busy being born, you are busy dying." --Bob Dylan "Obstacles are those things we see when we take our eyes off our goals." "If we don't like where we are, change it! We are not trees." "Let me tell you the secret that has led me to my goal. My strength lies solely in my tenacity." -- Louis Pasteur, Chemist and Microbiologist

When I used to be a junk food junky, I disliked many veggies and healthy foods.

But what has worked for me was to gradually shrink the portions of poorer choice foods in a meal or sitting and gradually increase the portions of the more healthy foods at the same time.

Another thing was to cut up the veggies I used to hate, into so small of smidgins that I couldn't taste them, and then just gradually increased their size or the frequency of me ingesting them... and eventually my body came to ENJOY their taste and look forward to having them.

And last but not least, I became willing to TRY foods that I never had before. I used to say, "nah I wont like it." But I found I couldn't afford to be that way anymore (all fat and depressed, feeling powerless over my over eating) and that the more variety of healthy foods I ate, the easier it was it to loose weight, to cease from over eating, and not be hungry, while actually enjoying my meals with so much good stuff to chose from.

Edited by: CRAZY_CAROLLYNN at: 7/6/2009 (19:59)

Failure- a stone on a path not the last one called success. Planless gaol=a wish Faithless dream=fleeting & amiss. Progress-little to do with speed-much to do with direction. Wiser to replace with better choices than to deny human nature-small smarter choice substitutions. Purposely choose your thoughts-what you believe-you achieve-Be careful what you think www.sparkpeople.com/myspark/groups_individual.asp?gid=237Starfleet BootCamp

what has worked with helping me make smaller portions.... has been simply using what I do for my granddaughter (2yrs)

I cut up her sandwhiches... and give her smaller portions... so, when I make my plate... I keep her in mind and make my portions as if I were making hers... and I give myself permission if I am still hungry after ALSO eating like her SLOWLY.... then I will get seconds...

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